Kennesaw State (14) vs. Gonzaga (3) Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
Selection Sunday is in the rearview mirror, which means March Madness is officially upon us, and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is ready to begin.
Arguably, the best sports day on the annual calendar is the opening day of the Big Dance, and this year’s Thursday schedule is headlined in part by the Gonzaga Bulldogs going up against the Kennesaw State Owls at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
It is the No. 3 vs. No. 14 showdown in the West Region, tipping off at 10:00 p.m. ET on TBS.
Let’s break down the matchup, which is a first-ever head-to-head meeting between Gonzaga and Kennesaw State.
Kennesaw State Owls vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
Gonzaga is going off as a massive -20.5 favourite on the March Madness odds while being priced at -3200 on the moneyline. Kennesaw State is +1400 to win the game outright. The game total is set at 154.5 points.
Something has to give on Thursday night, because Kennesaw State is 3-0 against the spread in its last three games and Gonzaga is 6-3 ATS in its last nine overall. The Under is 4-1 in the Owls’ last five outings, 6-0 in the Bulldogs’ last six, and has cashed in each of the last five games where the Zags are the favourites.
Kennesaw State Owls (14)
Kennesaw State is in the NCAA Tournament for the second time since joining Division I in 2005. The Owls were also a No. 14 seed in 2023, when they had a double-digit lead over No. 3 Xavier in the first round before falling 72-67. This year’s squad went 10-10 in Conference USA during the regular season before improbably winning the CUSA Tournament as the No. 6 seed.
Veteran backcourt play is always a key to postseason success on the college hardwood, and that is where head coach Antoine Pettway’s squad excels. Senior guard Simeon Cottle is averaging 20.2 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. However, depth could be a problem for Kennesaw State. It is dealing with some injury issues and went with a rotation that was only seven players deep in the CUSA semifinals and final.
Gonzaga Bulldogs (3)
Another season, another West Coast Conference Tournament title for Gonzaga…. That is now 12 such championships in the last 14 years for the Zags, who knocked off Santa Clara 79-68 in the final. They split the WCC regular-season title with Saint Mary’s (both 16-2), losing only to Portland and to Saint Mary’s on the road in the regular-season finale.
Head coach Mark Few’s club is led by Graham Ike. Yes – in an era of college basketball with players leaving programs left and right, Ike is still at Gonzaga. The senior forward is averaging 19.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Fellow forward Braden Huff packs an additional low-post scoring punch with 17.8 PPG in addition to 5.6 REB.
March Madness Prediction: Who Will Win Kennesaw State vs. Gonzaga?
The pace of Thursday’s game will dictate Gonzaga’s margin of victory – assuming, of course, that the heavily favoured side prevails. The Zags do not play particularly fast, ranking No. 93 nationally in possessions per game (72.2). Over the past three games, they are down to 64.3 possessions, which is No. 342 in the country during this stretch.
As a huge underdog, Kennesaw State should be content to play slower than it normally does in an effort to keep the contest relatively low scoring. The Bulldogs’ size will probably be too much for the Owls in the end, but this is a matchup that could be more interesting than many expect. Let’s go with Gonzaga 79, Kennesaw State 66.